This invention relates to bi-directional communication systems and methods, and in particular, to an integrated satellite based data communication system.
Business, retail, medical, university, transportation center and residential customers have a need for high data rate media transfer systems that link or interface to data utilization devices, such as personal computers (PCs) and workstations. As used herein, PCs will be understood to include personal computers, workstations and other similar data acquisition and/or origination terminals. A need exists for providing low cost wireless and wired high data rate/low delay information exchange to customer data utilization devices. Currently, no wireless high data rate bi-directional service exists between consumers, satellites, and wireline services. One problem with existing terrestrial systems is that the data transfer rate is relatively slow or alternatively is expensive. With current methods, data transfer is typically slow, resulting in long data-download times. Furthermore, real-time, high fidelity audio/video is often impractical given the current state-of-the-art. To provide high data rate capability to all potential users requires a high cost in capital equipment and assets or fixed-site operation to provide a system with widespread accessibility. So called xe2x80x9cwirelessxe2x80x9d systems can provide significant high data rate transfers and widespread accessibility. However, no system presently exists incorporating inexpensive wireless transfer of satellite, terrestrial backbones, cellular data services, and wireline data which will provide economic access to such wireless and wired data sources. It is also desirable to provide for accessing information by wireless methods thereby providing freedom of movement for users and elimination of the cost of wired infrastructure.
Satellite based systems are under construction or are proposed which will make high data rate/low delay information transfer widely available. However, as presently planned or proposed such satellite systems require an expensive satellite transceiver and directional antenna at each user. What is needed are low cost software configurable satellite interfaces that leverage existing consumer equipment (e.g., laptop, palmtop, and desktop computers). For instance, at least one proposed system requires that each business and each residence have a stationary direct satellite link for the exchange of high speed data including multimedia data. In addition, there are many terrestrial data sources or sites with which it is desirable to have high speed data access. Such sites vary in the number of data consumers over the course of time. Hence, data demand can vary as customers enter or leave service areas. Therefore, it is further desirable to provide a system which will permit mobile access to high speed data sources and not have high associated costs as are required for existing data transfer systems and apparatus. It is also desirable that these data services provide self forming network services, depending upon spatial proximity of mobile users and data and bandwidth demands of stationary customers. Further, data information sources each use specific protocols for data routing transfer, packetizing, and switching. Therefore, there is a further need for a wireless interface to multiple data sources that provides a seamless, transparent interface between user and data service.